As genealogists we strive to do quality work. How many of us on Geni follow the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS)? Probably most experienced genealogists do, but probably many novice genealogists have never heard of it.
“Proof is a fundamental concept in genealogy. In order to merit confidence, each conclusion about an ancestor must have sufficient credibility to be accepted as ‘proved.’” -- Board for Certification of Genealogists
Here’s a brief video introduction to the Genealogical Proof Standard (24 minutes) https://youtu.be/ZfR2yLsXu88
The elements are:
1. A thorough and reasonably exhaustive search for all relevant information regarding an individual or family https://youtu.be/TG_fJMCFmt4
2. A comprehensive analysis of all of the available information on an individual or family as to its quality and believability or accuracy as evidence https://youtu.be/Vn7rrAP9xIM
3. A logical and truthful resolution of any conflicting or contradictory evidence discovered https://youtu.be/t2cZyme18v4
4. A complete and accurately phrased citation for each source used in your research, with a footnote attaching each source to its use in your research notes or writings https://youtu.be/D8WlI7D3eBE
5. A sound, exhaustively researched conclusion regarding your research based on all of the evidence you have discovered and analyzed https://youtu.be/nfvwebTL-Hw
The book: Genealogy Standards (50th Anniversary Edition), compiled by Board for Certification of Genealogists (2014). https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20447160-genealogy-standards
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genealogical_Proof_Standard
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